Sorry, Altair
by theUndertakerx
Summary: A hot summer day in which Ezio and Desmond try to get Altair to swim and end up paying a terrible price. Mostly fluffy Altair/Ezio/Desmond


Both Desmond and Ezio looked up at their Arabian lover from the depths of the pool that they were swimming in. Sure, he was wearing swimming trunks, and sure, he was sitting on the deck, tan skin glowing in the midsummer sunlight, but both men underwater knew that there was no way he would be swimming any time soon.

Ezio and Desmond shared an underwater glance, not worried about the chemicals in their pool. There had to be a way that they could get Altair under without him noticing or freaking out. Two assassins against one. That was fair... right?

Without alerting Altair, Desmond and Ezio swam under the shadow of the dock, surfacing as silently as possibly under the wooden area, both taking deep breaths quietly before going back under. They watched as Altair's tanned feet dipped into the water, and – with speed only two assassins could muster – swam forward and yanked the stoic man into the water by his ankles.

Altair thrashed when he felt his head submerge, instantly loosing his breath from the surprise attack. He went down gasping from being taken off guard, and from his last attempt to get a lungful of air before he went under, successful in nothing but taking down mouthfuls of chlorinated water. He could feel himself sinking to the bottom, but his feet didn't have the chance to touch the floor of the pool before the very same hands that dragged him under grasped his arms and pulled him up effortlessly, so that his gasping let him finally get air instead more water.

The Arabian assassin desperately clutched at the first thing that he could find which was, unfortunately for him, Ezio. Lucky for the Italian, Altair was far too busy shaking and clinging to be angry with either of his surprise attackers.

"Get me out!" Altair practically yelled, gripping tight at Ezio, eyes wide with the fear of drowning.

"Oh come on, Altair," Ezio tried reasoning first, keeping his voice calming. "It's not that bad, really, at least give it a shot, I mean, you're a gro-"

"Get. Me. Out!" His voice had risen now, and Ezio knew, by now, not to toy with him further. "Ezio Auditore if you think for a moment that I will ever forgive either of you fo-"

"You do not have to go on!" Ezio winced, swimming slowly over to the steps up to the deck, holding Altair close to him, trying to keep him feeling as safe as possible, even though he knew he had already breached that wall. "You are out." He said when Altair's feet found purchase on the wooden steps and he was up and out of the pool.

Altair didn't bother listening to Ezio, pulling a towel from a rack on the deck, not looking at either Desmond or Ezio, who both looked on helplessly as their lover dried himself off before storming off into the house, still shaking violently with shock.

Ezio and Desmond shared another glance, this time somber and defeated. Their playful trick seemed, now that they had executed it, like a really bad idea all of the sudden.

Without words, the two of them followed their lover out of the pool, drying off less angrily than Altair, and far slower, giving the other assassin time to blow off any steam before they went after him. There was nothing worse than an angry assassin, God help if it was Altair.

"Do you think he'll listen, now?" Desmond asked when both were dry and there was nothing else they could do to put any time between then and going in to Altair.

"I do not think we have any other choice but to make him listen, Desmond..." Ezio muttered, hanging his towel over the edge of the deck before heading inside.

Desmond didn't bother hanging his towel, dropping it on the floor of the deck on his way to follow Ezio. The Italian was right. There was no use waiting any longer when all Altair would do was continue to brood.

The back door had barely closed when a throwing knife lodged itself in the wall next to Desmond's head. The youngest assassin barely had any time to dodge before another was thrown, landing just where his head had been.

Ezio's eyes flashed with fury. He pushed Desmond behind himself, shielding the younger man and glaring up at the shadow of Altair, standing on the second floor balcony. "Altair!" He shouted up at the man. "Stop being so childish and put away your knives, you could have killed him!" He gestured violently to the knives lodged in the wall.

"You could have killed me! He is an assassin, he knows how to dodge!" Altair shouted back, glaring down at Ezio with as much fury as the Italian man used on him.

"He is not as well trained as you or I!" Ezio's voice was no longer just a shout but an infuriated yell. "There is a high chance that he could not have noticed or miscalculated your throws! Do you think either him or myself would let you drown? Both of us were there to save you, and neither of us would have let you sink much further! What if you hit him? He would be gone Altair, and there would be no bringing him back up from a knife between his eyes!"

Altair made to yell back, but Desmond placed his hand on Ezio's shoulder, drawing the man's attention away and leaving Altair's come back hanging in the air.

"He's right, Ezio..." Desmond said, speaking loud enough so that both of them could hear, though not really yelling. He hated it when the two of them fought, as it happened so rarely. "I can dodge throwing knives, but Altair really _can't _swim, and there was always that chance that neither of us would have been ready enough to go down and get him. He can't swim, he hates it, and it scares him, even though he won't admit it." He looked up at Altair then, ignoring the glare at him that was response to his comment about fear. "I'm sorry, Altair, that was a terrible prank to play and we won't do it again. I promise."

There was a pregnant pause before Altair jumped down from the balcony, landing on his feet in front of them. He pulled Desmond into a hug, pressing his face to his lover's damp hair. "I apologize for throwing knives at you..." He muttered, before looking over to Ezio. He quickly caught the Italian's arm, pulling him into the same hug. "And I apologize for yelling at you..." He held both of them close for a moment, calming down from his earlier freak out.

"I am sorry as well," Ezio muttered, leaning up to place his lips to Altair's. "For yelling, and for trying to get you to swim." There was a smirk forming on his lips, and Ezio would have continued with a witty comment about Altair needing a life raft, but it was quickly wiped away by a kiss from his Arabian lover.


End file.
